Two of a Kind
by Daughter of Nature
Summary: A collection of mostly unrelated Buri/Kel drabbles. Written for Goldenlake's SMACKDOWN.
1. Discretion

"We have to be discreet."

"I know."

"It'd be an absolute scandal if this got out, and it'd make all three of us look unreliable."

"Gods, Keladry. You worry far too much. I've had plenty of practice at being discreet."

Kel looked at her suspiciously. "You mean with Raoul?"

"Of course."

Kel stared. "Do you not realise that that was about the worst kept secret that Tortall has ever seen?"

"Don't be daft. Just because you knew doesn't mean that everybody else did."

Kel decided it would be tactless to point out that people knew about Buri and Raoul before they themselves did. "Nothing to worry about then," she said instead. It seemed like she'd have to be doubly discreet.


	2. Exercise

"Gods Kel, why couldn't you have had a room on the ground floor?" Buri froze, still halfway in the window, as she realised that Kel wasn't alone.

"I say," said Owen, "this is a surprise! Hello, Commander. Why are you climbing into Kel's bedroom?"

"New training exercise for the Riders," Buri told him gruffly.

"That sounds like jolly good fun! It's just as well that Kel's room isn't on the ground floor, it'd be rather boring and not much of an exercise. Why don't you climb right up to the top of the palace? It'd be –"

"Jolly? I thought as much. We were just going to discuss that now, weren't we Kel?"

Kel nodded. "We'll talk again tomorrow," she told Owen, and had to suppress a giggle at the look on Buri's face as the door closed behind him.


	3. Lacking

Kel studied the older woman's face thoughtfully.

"What are you doing?"

"Just thinking."

Buri sighed. "Nothing's ever straightforward with you, is it?"

"Tell me about Sarain."

Buri's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Sarain?"

"And the K'mir. I'm curious."

Buri frowned at the ceiling, and Kel instantly felt terrible. She knew enough of the wars between the K'mir and the lowlanders to realise that Sarain must hold painful memories, and that Buri's family had all died when she was young.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I shouldn't have-"

"No." Buri cut her off. "It's fine." She opened her mouth to speak and then changed her mind. Finally she looked at Kel. "There aren't any lady knights in Sarain."


	4. Jealous

"Raoul's jealous."

Kel froze as Buri continued to kiss her jaw, apparently completely unconcerned. "What? I thought you said he didn't mind at all."

"I did." Buri's hand slid down her body.

"Do we have to stop, then? We should stop. I don't want to break up your marriage."

"No, he's jealous of both of us."

"Both of us?"

"He's jealous of you, and he's jealous of me."

"But why would he be jealous of you?"

"Think about it." Buri laughed as Kel looked just as confused, and she slid her hand between Kel's legs. "He wants to join in."


	5. Idealism

"You'd like Sarain."

Kel looked at the older woman, surprised. Buri didn't usually talk about her past much at all, especially the painful memories of Sarain.

"You asked about it the other day," she explained. "I was just thinking."

"What would I like about it?" asked Kel cautiously.

"Oh, you'd like it and hate it at the same time." She paused in thought. "You're idealistic. You'd hate to see the tension and poverty there after all the warfare, but you like a cause. You'd like to try and make the whole country perfect. You'd like to think you could."

"Somebody should try."

Buri laughed and kissed her. "That's exactly what I'm talking about. You know…Sarain's really missing out by not having lady knights."


	6. Masks

"It's fun."

Kel smiled. "It's fun for me too."

"Except you don't get to see your Yamani mask coming off."

Kel blinked. "It's really not much of a Yamani mask. They'd think I was rude and barbaric, with the amount of emotion I show."

"Well, it seems Yamani enough to me. I don't get it; what's the point in hiding their emotions all the rest of the time when it's impossible to have sex and still keep a blank face?"

"I don't know, I suppose I was too young to think about that when I was there. Besides, all your gruffness goes away when you're getting caught up in it too," Kel pointed out. "Isn't that the same?"

Buri frowned. "Enough talking. Flip us over, it's my turn."


	7. Mistress

"I can't, I'm sorry." Kel sat up and clutched her tunic to herself, and Buri frowned.

"Why not?"

"It's not that I don't want to…I did enjoy it last time, it's just…"

"It's Raoul, isn't it?"

"He took me as his squire when nobody else would've. I can't do this to him."

Buri snorted. "You already have."

"And I'm ashamed of myself for it."

The words stung Buri. "If you want to get away from me so badly, you might as well go, then."

"It's not because of you, not at all."

The older woman sighed. "You think Raoul's going to be upset."

"He loves you."

"He also loves the idea of the two of us."

Kel blinked. "He knows?"

"Yes. He doesn't mind at all." Buri slid her arm around Kel's waist. "Does it mean you'll stay?"

Kel thought about it. "Yes," she said, and smiled shyly. "Although it's a little strange thinking about him thinking about us."

Buri laughed and kissed her. _I'd best wait a while before telling her he wants to join in._


	8. Occasional Stupidity

"You really don't like him, do you?"

Kel made her face carefully blank and looked away. "I don't know what you mean."

Buri snorted. "Of course you don't. Jon."

"He is my king. I owe him and Tortall everything."

"And yet you still don't like him. It's understandable, he put you on probation."

"I'm told he had his reasons."

"Yes, but he's human. Humans do stupid things."

Kel stared, sure that Buri would have talked about the pressures of ruling like so many others had done.

Buri shrugged. "I suppose he's not so bad as a person once you get to know him. Do you really think I'd have let Thayet marry him if he was?"


	9. Pillow Talk

Kel gently ran her fingers over Buri's collarbone. "I love your skin," she murmured.

The older woman turned her head to look at her. "What?"

"Your skin," Kel repeated. "The colour, it's so rich. Like…toffee."

Buri snorted. "That's what Raoul says too. The two of you are much too alike; you always have your mind on food."

"Maybe that's why you like us."

"Maybe it is." Buri gave her a wicked grin, then grabbed Kel's hand and guided it over her body, down underneath the covers to where she wanted it. "Then again, maybe it isn't."

Kel took the hint.


	10. Replacement

"You should find somebody younger."

"Younger? I like you, and I'm happy. Why would I want to find somebody younger?"

"Gods, where do I start? They wouldn't have wrinkles, they wouldn't be covered in scars, bits wouldn't be heading south, they wouldn't find a new grey hair on their head every few months, their joints wouldn't creak when they got out of bed in the morning-"

"My joints do that too sometimes, and I'm covered in scars. And I don't happen to like anyone younger. I don't want anyone younger."

"You could find someone if you actually looked. There are young people everywhere."

"Yes, but none of them are you."

"Exactly."

"Exactly."


	11. Slush

Buri sighed. "I hate it when it rains after snowing. The snow just turns to slush."

"You're not putting slush on me," Kel hastily told her. "You've had two weeks of fun with the snow."

Buri sighed again. "I hope it snows again this winter. Parts of Sarain are usually under snow for months at a time."

Kel shuddered. "Two weeks is enough for me." Buri obviously still needed some cheering up. "The end of winter means it's closer to summer. We can go swimming in the lake at night again."

"Yes, but I still have to watch the snow disappearing now in this miserable gods-cursed rain."

Kel let her hand slide down the older woman's body. "Perhaps I can make that up to you."


	12. Snowy Morning

"Morning." Kel gasped and opened her eyes as she felt coldness, _extreme _coldness, on her chest. Buri grinned wickedly as Kel realised it was snow and Kel hastily lobbed it in her direction, more concerned with drying her skin with the sheet. Buri tossed it from hand to hand, not seeming to mind that it was dripping all over the floor. "Giving it back to me wasn't the most clever idea," she pointed out. "I can think of an even more fun place to put it." Kel clamped her legs together, and Buri gave a dramatic sigh. "You're no fun," she told her, and tossed the snow back out the window. "It snowed," she added unnecessarily. "Nine inches of it." She eyed Kel and grinned again. "You know what? We should have a snowball fight." She pulled the covers off Kel. "Hurry up and get dressed. Let's have a snowball fight, and then I can enjoy my winner's reward."


	13. Snowy Morning 2

Kel shivered, although only partially from the cold. "I never should have agreed to that snowball fight," she murmured. "I should have realised that your winner's reward would involve more snow."

"You should be thankful that I keep on stopping to warm you up again. You can't deny that you've been enjoying this _very _much."

"I don't suppose I can," Kel agreed. "Except every time you warm me up again, it's that much colder when you grab another handful of snow."

Buri laughed, her eyes intent on Kel as she held up another handful of snow. "Maybe I just really like the way you squeak when it touches you."


	14. Supplies

"I wish we were going to be able to see each other while we're on the road." Kel sighed. "It's frustrating; we're going to be so close but unable to do anything we want to."

"Or so you think."

"But we can't be seen. We agreed it's far too dangerous."

"I'm Commander, so I get a tent to myself."

"So do I, because I'm the only other female. We still can't though, we'd be seen going in or out of each other's tents."

"You're not listening. I have a tent to myself, you have a tent to yourself, and the men are two to a tent. Now, what do you think we should do if we get to camp and realise that we're a tent short?"

Realisation dawned on Kel's face. "Oh!"

Buri just grinned wickedly.


	15. Treat

"This is ridiculous." Buri wasn't sure who was redder in the face; her husband or Kel. "You both told me separately that you were keen for this, so either you were lying to me or you're being stupid now."

Their faces reddened even more and they looked away from each other.

"This is ridiculous," Buri repeated. "Kiss each other right now, before I shove your faces together."

Raoul grinned and Kel suppressed a smile; bossy, impatient Buri standing bare between them with her hands on her hips did make a comical sight.

"I think I'd best obey the birthday girl," said Raoul.

Kel nodded and stepped closer to him, and then held her breath as he cautiously leaned in and kissed her.

"Good," said Buri, and walked over to the bed. "Now hurry up and give me my birthday treat."


	16. Unexpected

Kel ran her hand over Buri's swollen body. "I'm still in shock. Why didn't you tell me? You wrote a few times."

"It was worth it for the look on your face. I don't know why you're so…I don't know, it's just a big stomach."

"But you're _pregnant._"

"I told you, it was an accident. I don't know why you're making such a big deal, women get pregnant and have babies all the time." She looked at Kel's face and sighed. "I'm already making a mess of parenthood, aren't I?"

"No. No two parents are ever the same."

"Well, we discussed it, and we want you to be its godsmother. The gods know it'll need someone around who's good with children. Among other reasons, of course. Perhaps I'm being selfish and hoping it'll mean you're around it and therefore me more often."

Kel was silent, digesting all this new information. Finally, she smiled. "Do you really still want me around?"

Buri laughed and kissed her, cursing softly as her stomach got in the way. "Of course."


	17. Not the type

Kel woke, feeling hands on her skin. "What are you doing?"

"Get back on your own side of the bed," Buri grumbled. "You moved until you were practically on top of me, and then I couldn't sleep."

Kel rolled away from her and realised that there was plenty of room. "I'm sorry, I wasn't coming onto your side on purpose. I must have just snuggled closer in my sleep."

Buri snorted, and Kel started to laugh.

"It's not funny." Kel was sure that the other woman was scowling in the darkness. "I can't help it, I'm just not the snuggly type."


	18. Curious

"Buri, I need you to – oh."

Kels' eyes widened as she looked over Buri's shoulder. "Lioness!"

Buri turned around. "Hello, Alanna."

Alanna was staring at them both. "But – Raoul."

"He knows. He's fine with it."

"That's good. Uh, I suppose I can wait until later to talk to you. I'll just be going, then." Her hand reached for the door handle behind her, but she didn't seem able to take her eyes off the two of them. "Is it fun?" she blurted out.

Buri laughed and leaned forwards to whisper to Kel. Kel's eyes flicked to the Lioness and back to Buri before she nodded, and Buri grinned at Alanna. "Why don't you come and find out?"


	19. Change of mind

"Your skin is half frozen!" Kel tried not to flinch away from the contact.

"I know. Why else would I be trying to warm myself up?"

Kel laughed softly. "I thought you weren't the snuggly type."

"I'm not." Buri pressed herself right up against Kel and pulled Kel's arm across her middle.

"This is exactly what I would consider snuggling."

"I'm not snuggling, I'm warming myself up."

"You could've put on a nightshirt or something," Kel pointed out, amused.

"That's the last resort. Just because I don't like snuggling doesn't mean that I don't like being bare in bed with you."

"I think you're actually quite enjoying this snuggling now that you have an excuse for it."

Buri let herself smile in the darkness. "Shut up and go to sleep."


	20. Caring

Kel blinked several times to adjust her eyes to the light, and turned her head to find the source of the voice. Her eyes widened as they met Buri's, and the singing stopped abruptly.

"I didn't know you could sing so beautifully," Kel whispered.

Buri's face flushed a deep red. "You weren't supposed to wake up," she complained. She sighed and helped Kel to sit up, before passing her a cup of water. "My mother always sang that to me when I was sick," she muttered.

Kel reached out and stroked her hand as her eyes fluttered closed again. "Then I know I'm well cared for," she murmured, and drifted asleep with a smile on her face.


	21. Courage

"Hold still, you'll be fine."

"I am, I know." Kel gritted her teeth.

Buri gave her a reluctant smile. "I never thought I'd not want to see you topless, but if you weren't hurt you'd be fully clothed right now."

"Of all the things to think of at a time like this."

"Relax, I'm concentrating on your wound. You'll be fine."

Kel gasped and shut her eyes.

"The worst is over. I've just got to put some salve on and then bandage it for you. And then I think my big, fine knight deserves a reward for her courage."

Kel smiled. "I think she does too."


	22. Confidence

"I like how confident you've become."

Kel raised her eyebrows at Buri. "What do you mean?"

Buri looked her over thoughtfully. "Do you remember? When we first started, well…this, you were hesitant. Really hesitant, as though you thought I'd be furious if you did the wrong thing."

Kel smiled. "I just had no idea what I was doing."

"You do now though." Buri grinned. "I like how comfortable we've become with each other."

"I like how I know that I can do something like this –" she trailed her hand over Buri's stomach, "and know that you'll like it."

"I'd like it more if you touched me somewhere else."

Kel smiled again. "I can do that, too."


	23. Something pretty

"Hold still for a moment?"

"What are you doing?"

"I'm nearly finished."

"But what –"

"I'm done. Have a look in the mirror."

Buri shot Kel a suspicious look, and then got up to walk over and see her reflection. She blinked. "Why did you put a flower in my hair?"

Kel shrugged. "It looks pretty though, don't you think?"

"Yes, but…I don't [i]need[/i] it." Buri reached to take it out, and then Kel was beside her, her hand on Buri's wrist.

"Just because it's not useful doesn't mean you can't wear it. Where's the harm in something pretty?"

Buri looked thoughtfully at her reflection. Maybe she'd leave it in, just for a little while.


	24. Ticklish

"Stop it, that tickles."

Buri grinned and did it again.

Kel's eyes widened as she wriggled involuntarily. "It tickles!"

"I know. So you told me."

"So stop it!"

Buri's eyes were alight with glee. To Kel, it was both exciting and evil at the same time. "Make me," Buri told her, and did it yet again.

"I might have to if you don't stop – ah!"

"Ah?"

"Stop it!"

"Make me."

Kel grabbed onto Buri's arms and flipped them both over so that Kel was on top. "Maybe I should tickle you back," she threatened, although there was a smile on her face.

Buri gave her the most infuriating grin she could manage. "If you like," she said. "But I'm not ticklish."


	25. Fascination

"It's fascinating, isn't it?"

Buri looked up at her. "What is?"

"This little spot right here." Kel pointed to Buri's skin and touched it lightly. Buri shivered, and Kel smiled. "See? Don't you think it's fascinating that one little patch of skin can be so sensitive to a touch, or a kiss, or a lick?"

Buri shivered as Kel touched her again. "I guess so, but you're wasting time."

"You don't like it?" Kel took her hand away. "Sorry."

"No, you big idiot." Buri rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Where's the sense in talking about doing something when it's much more fun to actually do it?"


	26. Prank War

"Five more minutes," shouted Evin. The Riders and the Own eyed each other from opposite sides of the room, each wondering if the other had any more tricks up their sleeves before Midwinter was over. The trouble was, they'd never tied before, and now there were only five minutes left. Some of the Own tried to trip the Riders as they consulted each other, and some of the Riders decided to flash the Own. The men, of course, were most interested, but declared that it didn't count as a prank after Kel refused to lift her shirt too.

"Silence," declared Buri after Evin called the two minute mark. Surprisingly, everybody did quiet as she strode into the midst of the Own and stopped in front of Kel. "Happy Midwinter," she whispered, for Kel's ears alone, and kissed her.

The Riders won, of course, and somehow, nobody stopped to think that a kiss wasn't really a prank anyway. Except for Kel and Buri, of course.


	27. Mistletoe

"Mistletoe!"

Buri and Kel stopped mid conversation as the rest of the Riders in the mess hall picked up the catcalls. Buri looked up and raised her eyebrows when she saw the mistletoe above them. "Well, look at that, they're right. Perhaps I have managed to beat some sense into them."

Kel was standing there looking like a rabbit caught in the line of the hunter's crossbow.

"Don't just stand there," Buri told her, amused. "Here, sit." She pushed her into a chair. The Riders booed, and she rolled her eyes at them. "Calm down, you'll get your show." She straddled Kel, cupped her face with her hands, and kissed her as the Riders cheered. I'll have to remember to put mistletoe up again next year, she thought.


	28. Extra

Kel stopped in her tracks, her eyes fixed on the Lioness.

"I hope you don't mind, I asked her out to dinner with us."

Kel's eyes flicked in surprise from Alanna's face to Buri's.

Buri shrugged. "I thought you might like to get to know her better, now that the war with Scanra is over and you're both back in the same city. I noticed that you were interested whenever I mentioned her."

Kel flushed, and Alanna smiled. "I've been looking forward to getting to know you, too."

Kel bent down to whisper in Buri's ear, and she laughed. "If she wants to, and if you want her to."

"What?" asked Alanna.

"Do you want to have sex with us?"

Alanna grinned.


	29. Interruption

Buri and Kel sprang apart as a knock sounded on Buri's office door.

"Quick, hide," she hissed. Kel scrambled under the desk, thanking the gods that it reached right to the ground, and Buri made it look as though she'd never been doing anything other than work.

"Morning, Commander," came Evin Larse's cheery voice.

Kel hoped that he wouldn't come far enough around the desk to see her – or see that Buri wasn't wearing her breeches.

"Stuck inside again on a lovely day like today? I think you work too much, Commander. It's naughty."

"Get to the point, Larse," Buri growled. "Believe me, it was a lot more fun before you came in."

The younger man laughed. "If you had a bigger desk, I might have thought you had your big, brawny Knight Commander under there."


	30. Interesting

"Where's the most interesting place you've ever had sex?"

Kel blinked at Buri. "What?

"Of all the places you've ever had sex, which was the most interesting? Or fun, or exciting?"

Kel stared at her. "I don't know…the bath?"

"The bath? That's all you can come up with?" Buri stared back at her. "Gods, we need to fix that right now." She threw a robe at Kel and shrugged on one of Raoul's tunics before heading for the window. "Put that on, and follow me."

"But where are we going?"

Buri shrugged. "I don't know. But we have to find someplace interesting."


	31. Bet

"You were betting on us?" Buri demanded incredulously. Alanna and George smirked as their friends exchanged money between themselves.

"Not us," Alanna reassured her. "We both agreed it was blindingly obvious."

Buri scowled. "It was supposed to be private, a secret." Kel was having trouble keeping her face carefully blank.

"It wasn't that difficult to piece together," Thayet reassured her. "Well, for some of us. Gary wouldn't have noticed unless he walked right in on it…like we all did now." She grinned wickedly.

"Raoul didn't know either," Gary pointed out defensively.

"Actually, I'm just a good Player," admitted Raoul. "The three of us are in it together."

George grinned as Alanna scowled and handed him a silver noble.


	32. Hiding

"Hey Kel, do you-" Neal stopped abruptly and stared.

"Haven't you heard of knocking?" complained Buri.

"I did!"

"You knocked once and burst in before anyone could answer."

"I don't think that's the major issue at hand. Why are you both in Kel's bed?"

"We were overcome by raging lust," offered Raoul. "And it was easiest to break into Kel's rooms while she was out. We've done it all over the place, including your father's infirmary."

Buri gave him a light shove. "Too much."

"So Kel's not here?"

"Would we be here if she was?" asked Buri tartly.

"Well, I saw you kissing her last week, and there's a huge lump between you in the bed. Really Kel, I thought you'd manage to hide better than that."


	33. Archery

"I thought you should know; Raoul's drunk."

Buri stared at Alanna in shock. "Drunk? But…he can't be, he doesn't drink."

"Well, he was. He seemed upset and kept on muttering about Kel, but I couldn't get anything out of him."

Buri felt herself turn cold all over. "He said he didn't mind," she whispered.

Alanna frowned. "Didn't mind what?" Buri shook her head and Alanna shrugged. "He's asleep now, I made him drink a herbal tea."

"I'd better go and stay there with him. If you see Keladry, would you tell her that… that I can't make it to our archery practice today?"

Violet eyes watched her sharply. "Archery practice?"

Buri looked away. "Yes. Archery practice."

"Right then. I'll tell her that you've decided that you prefer archery with your husband."

"No! Please Alanna, not like that. I'll tell her myself, if I have to. I just wish…he said he was fine with it. I was honest with him, and he should have been honest with me. I'd have respected his wishes," she said fiercely.

Alanna relented and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Things can't always go the way you want."


	34. Burnt

Kel winced as she looked at her lobster-red skin. "You're lucky," she told Buri. "You don't burn."

Buri grinned at her. "I guess it's an advantage to being a foreign savage."

"But you –"

"I know, I'm only a savage if I'm really hungry." She winked. Go and have a cold bath, that'll help. I'll see if I can find you a salve or something to put on it for afterwards."

She looked Kel over. "It's just as well you weren't naked."

Kel blinked. "Well of course I wasn't going to be naked."

"I know, but it's just that then I wouldn't be able to touch you at all. Luckily, you were a clever girl and kept the most interesting places covered up."

"I should think so," murmured Kel.

Buri laughed. "Get in the bath."


	35. Attention

"I never thought I'd say this, but motherhood suits you."

Buri snorted. "I'm not the motherly type at all."

"But I think you'll do a good job all the same. You'll teach her all the right things about the world, and she'll grow up to be intelligent and strong. Already, she's just as fluent in K'mir as she is in Common."

A smile tugged at Buri's mouth. "Have you seen the look of confusion on Raoul's face when she speaks it to him?"

Kel smiled back. "He's a good father, too. I think you'll both do a fine job of raising her."

"She's exhausting, and takes so much of our attention though."

Kel laid her hand on Buri's thigh. "Perhaps I could provide some extra attention, then?"

Buri grinned.


	36. Welcome

"Oh gods, that's nice." Buri wiggled her toes as she pulled the other boot off, enjoying the feeling of being able to move them properly.

She stared as Kel walked into the room with a basin of water and placed it on the ground. "What are you doing?" she asked as Kel took hold of her foot.

"I saw Baron George doing this to the Lioness once, and she seemed to enjoy it." Kel placed one of Buri's feet in the basin, and began gently rubbing the other one.

Buri gave a sigh of contentment and sank back onto the bed. "You have no idea how nicely I'm planning to reward you for this."

Kel smiled. "It's not necessary, but if you're thinking what I'm thinking, I'm not going to complain."


	37. Gossip

"Is it true what they say about pregnant women?"

Buri sighed. "I don't know. You know that…this…was an accident. I've never really cared to listen to the gossip about pregnancy, I never thought it would be me. What do you mean?"

"Oh…I just always heard that pregnant women want sex a lot."

"Oh." Buri smiled. "Well, that much is true. I've been all over Raoul like a rash these last couple of months. Not that he minds, of course."

Kel smiled. "Well, you know that if Raoul gets tired, I'm here."

Buri grinned. "Actually, if you're not repulsed by my giant stomach, I was hoping you might join us."


	38. Slippers

"Doesn't she look beautiful?"

Kel smiled at Raoul and nodded.

"You'd better appreciate it," muttered Buri. "You have no idea how much time Thayet and Cythera wasted on getting me ready."

"I'm sure it wasn't a waste of time," Kel said. She ran her eyes over the older woman appreciatively. "You truly do look beautiful."

"Yes, but look at these things." Buri drew up her skirts and held out a foot. "These slippers are useless. They'd probably break if I so much as sneezed in their direction."

Kel caught Raoul's eye, and he grinned at her; no matter how different their Buri looked, she was definitely still the same.

"So," Buri demanded, "will you be coming to our rooms later?"


	39. Bathtime

"Ooh, gods, that's nice."

Kel smiled and shuffled around in the bath to make room for the other woman.

Buri grinned tiredly at her. "So long as you don't squash me, I'm fine."

Kel smiled back and reached for the soap. "It's funny, I didn't think that we'd both be able to fit in the same bath, but there's actually plenty of room."

Buri was eyeing the soap in Kel's hands. "What are you planning on doing with that?"

Kel stared at her as though she was half mad. "Washing myself, of course. Why?"

Buri sighed. "You don't get it, do you? Give that here."


	40. Unnecessary

"Kel, I've been thinking."

Kel sighed good-naturedly. "Not again, Neal."

"I'm serious," he told her. "I know you're the Commander and everything, but as New Hope's chief healer, I think you should get a pregnancy charm. I've noticed you don't wear one."

Kel was amused to see a flush creeping up his face. "I don't need one, Neal."

"But how do you know you're not going to get caught up in the heat of the moment with somebody?"

"Neal, Buri and I discussed this once."

He looked slightly relieved.

"Neither of us think that she's going to get me pregnant."


	41. Juicy details

"What's it like?" Thayet leaned forward, curious. "You know, being with another woman."

"Why do want to know? It's none of your business."

"Come on, tell me. You've known me your whole life."

Buri shrugged. "She's a person, Thayet. It's the same thing, just with different bits, that's all." She sighed. "I like spending time with her, and the sex is fun. Same with Raoul, and we're all happy that we have each other. There's no jealousy, we just all like to have fun."

Thayet sighed. "Sometimes I wish you were more like Cythera."

Buri bristled. "I don't want to be like Cythera!"

"No, I didn't mean it like that. I'm glad to have you." Thayet hugged her, and Buri scowled. "It's just that I was after the juicy details, that's all."


	42. Commanders

"There must be something about us, don't you think?"

Both women turned their heads to look at Raoul. "About who?" asked Buri.

"Us. Commanders. All three of us are commanders, don't you think that's odd?"

"I'd say it's more interesting," offered Kel.

"I think you're both odd to be thinking of things like that when we're all naked in bed together," countered Buri. "Especially when it's my turn with Kel."

"It's obvious you're a commander, you're far too bossy for our good." Raoul laughed and pushed Kel over to Buri. "Poor Kel will be exhausted after all this."

"Then she'll sleep well."

"She already does." Raoul winked. "Go on then, give me a good show."


End file.
